Umbrella



Oct. 22, 1929. w s, i B N 1,732,867

UMBRELLA Filed Feb. 27, 1928 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 Oct. 22, 1929. w. s. TIMBLIN UMBRELLA Filed Feb. 27, 192:

2 Shoots-Shoat 2 Patented 0a. 22, 1929 PATENT orFrcr.

WILLIAM s. Truman, ornrvria ronns'r, rumors UMBRELLA Application filed February 27, 1928. Serial No. 257,155.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in umbrellas, more particularly to that type suitable for manufacture and sale at a low price for emergency purposes.

This invention has for one of its objects the provision of an improved emergency umbrella which may be manufactured at a low cost, is compact when folded and takes a preferably substantially rectangular form when folded. Such an article may be readily deposited in a coin-operated dispensing machine ready for delivery therefrom as required, the article being in such form that it may be quickly and readily opened for use as desired.

Other objects of this invention reside in the provision of an improved umbrella formed of a substantially rectangular sheet of material having integral reinforcing portions forming the ribs; the provision of an improved umbrella including a top portion and integrally formed reinforcing ribs, said ribs being so formed as to facilitate opening and closing of the umbrella, and affording a substantially rectangular structure when folded; and an improved umbrella of the character referred to incorporating therein an improved handle construction which serves to extend the umbrella for use and also to retain the same in such spread or extended position.

This is a continuation in part, of my applications Serial Numbers 163,667 and 236,053, filed respectively, Jan. 26, 1927, and Nov. 28, 1927, and the present invention, among other objects includes the provision of an improved reinforcing means for anumbrella; the provision of an improved means for preventing tearing of parts of the umbrella when subjected to rough handling in opening or closing; the provision of improved reinforcing means for the device of my invention which readily assembles with the parts when folded and which does not interfere with free use of the umbrella when open and which may be readily applied without material increase in the cost of manufacture.

The foregoing and such other objects and advantages as may appear or be pointed out as this description proceeds are attained in the structure shown in the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan of an umbrella open and including the improvements of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device folded; and V Fig. 4 is an edge view illustrating the umbrella in process of opening.

Referring now more particularl to the drawings, reference first may be ha to Figs. 1 and 2 which show the umbrella extended for use, and it will be observed that the article includes a folding top portion 5 definedby a plurality of flexible sections 6, 6, these sections being joined together by the provision of radial ribs or reinforcing portions 7, 7.

The reinforcing portions 7 extend to the center of the top, as at 8, and are gathered at this point by adhesively connected portions and by the operation of the handle members 9 and 10 as will hereinafter appear in detail.

It will be observed from an inspection of Figs. 3 and 4 that the reinforcing ribs are divided substantially into two groups by the construction, as will hereinafter appear, so that when folded not in use the sections 6 are nested into two groups, designated generally as A and B in Figs. 3 and 4 which groups are spread or divided along the line indicated at C in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

Inthe construction of the umbrella, I employ a plurality of substantially rectangular sheets of material which are fully described in my copending application No. 236,- 053 referred to above.

The umbrella of this invention includes the two groups A and B of folded sheets, these sheets being folded along their central axes as indicated at 11 in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 and the outer margins of each sheet are connected to the adjacent margins of adjacent sheets as indicated at 12 in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 to form the reinforcing ribs 7. Each of the sheets has a portion of the margin thereof cut as indicated at 13 and 14 in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 similarly wink;

' No. 236,053 referred to above.

to the donstructian set out in the application It will be seen from Fig. 3, that the two groups of folded sections A and B when not in use, form a substantially rectangular structure which may be readi y placed in a dispensing apparatus.

The device is rovided with the two handles 9 and 10 w ich are pivotally mounted as indicated in Fig. 4 at 9 and 10, and as the outermost sheet, designated at 17 in Fi s. 3 and 4, is foldable upon itself along t e line C to form the two parts F and G itwill be obvious that by moving the handles 9 and 10 toward each other, the umbrella would be caused to expand into theform shown in Fig. 2, similarly to the construction disclosed in the applications both referred to above.

It has been found that in this form of the device. when the user draws the handles 9 and 10 toward each other to expand sections A and B as shown in Fig. 4, astress is set up across the central line C which, if the um-.

brella is roughly handled in opening, may result in tearing the outermost section 17 along the line C.

In order to prevent tearing of the section 17, l-provide on both sides of the transverse axis thereof, reinforcing means which preferably takes the form of crossed flexible members 18 and 19 which may be stout string or light wire, the members 18 and 19 being a single piece and being spliced or knotted together as indicated at 20, 20 in Figs. 1 and 2. This reinforcing means passes through and is retained in apertures 21 and 22 formed in the outermost sheet 17 adjacent the outer edges thereof, so that the reinforcing strands 18 and 19 extend across the line C.

It will be obesrved'from Fig. 4, that the transverse stress set up on the sheet. 17 by the handles 9 and 10 will be taken up by the strands 18 and 19 during the period of greatest stress, that is, at the time immediately after the first bending of the sections takes place in opening the umbrella.

Then the umbrella is opened, the flexible strands 18 and 19 will hang downwardly as shown in Fig. 2, and do not in any wise interfere with the normal use of the umbrella.

It is desired to emphasize the fact that the reinforcing element of this invention is placed at a distance from the transverse fold of the sheet 17 which is found to be of best advantage in absorbing the stress imposed on the sheet when it is folded to bring the two parts G and F together, the apertures 21, 21 being suitably reinforced by metallic eyelets means including handle members for folding said enveloping sheet upon itself along its medial axis for expanding said top portion, and reinforcing means freely movable relatively to and extending across the medial axis of said enveloping sheet for preventing undue transverse strain thereupon.

2. A folding umbrella having a top portion including a plurality of groups of folded sheets having their adjacent edges connected to form such groups, one of said sheets forming an outermost or enveloping sheet for the groups when folded, means for folding the outermost sheet along its central axis for expanding said groups, and means freely outermost sheet for absorbing transverse stresses imposed thereon when folded in expanding said top.

3. A folding umbrella having a top ortion including a plurality of groups of fol sheets having their adjacent edges connected to form such groups, one of said sheets forming an outermost or enveloping sheet for the groups when folded, means for folding the outermost sheet along its central axis for expanding said groups, and means carried by said outermost sheet for absorbing transverse stresses imposed thereon when folded in expandin said top, said reinforcing means including exible transversely extending members which intersect at the central axis of said outermost sheet.

4. A folding umbrella having a top portion including a pluralitv of groups of folded sheets having their adjacent edges connected to form such groups, one of said sheets forming an outermost or enveloping sheet for the groups when folded, means for folding the outermost sheet along its central axis for expanding said groups, and means carried by said outermost sheet for absorbing transverse stresses imposed thereon when folded in expanding said top, said reinforcing means including flexible members anchored in said sheet adjacent its outer margins and lying across the central longitudinal axis thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

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